 JUNE 21 – JULY 2, 2004
GOVERNOR AND CABINET SIGN RESOLUTIONS HONORING VETERANS Purple Heart Recognition Day and D-Day Remembrance Month
Tallahassee - Governor Jeb Bush and the rest of the Florida Cabinet today signed two resolutions honoring the sacrifices and heroism of the United States military men and women. The Governor and Cabinet designated August 7, 2004, as Purple Heart Recognition Day and designated June 2004, as World War II D-Day Remembrance/French Legion of Honor Recognition Month.
"From the brave American soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War to the courageous soldiers fighting today in Iraq, America has been blessed with a military willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. The 1.5 million soldiers who have earned a Purple Heart demonstrate this commitment," Governor Bush said. "I'm also pleased we have formally recognized the efforts of the countless soldiers who stormed the beaches at Normandy on D-Day which led to the eventual fall of the Nazi Regime. These resolutions are a small way of saying 'thank you'."
Earlier this month, the French government paid a special tribute to 100 U.S. veterans, who fought in the liberation of France during World War II, by awarding them the French Legion of Honor. Six of those 100 who were recognized in France are from Florida and were present today to witness the Governor and Cabinet sign the resolution. They include: Dr. Andrew P. Dedick and Kathleen Dedick of Juno Beach; Former U.S. Representative Sam Gibbons of Tampa; Patrick Marci of Crystal River; Steve Odahowski of Trinity and William Priest of St. Petersburg.
The resolution encourages all Floridians to learn about World War II and invites Florida communities to conduct ceremonies and activities in honor of World War II veterans.
The Governor and Cabinet also signed a resolution designating August 7, 2004 as Purple Heart Recognition Day. The Purple Heart was established as the Military Badge of Merit on August 7, 1782, by General George Washington and is now the oldest military decoration in the United States Armed Forces. It is estimated that of the more than 1,535,000 recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, approximately 550,000 are living today.
For more information on the resolutions or other actions by the Florida Cabinet, please visit, www.myflorida.com <http://www.myflorida.com>. EOG Press Release, June 24, 2004
Ex-POWs now eligible for more veterans benefits
DAYTONA BEACH -- Bruce Hall was a patriotic high school graduate when he volunteered for the Army during World War II. He sailed into North Africa and fought against the Germans in Salerno, Italy. But on the beach at Anzio, the 18-year-old's life changed forever: He was captured by the enemy and became a prisoner of war. "There was starvation and cold," Hall said. "I wouldn't salute a German officer, so they put me in solitary with bread and water."
The Germans kept the 165-pound teen in captivity in Italy. When he was released, after 15 months, he had a bad knee and weighed just 92 pounds. In the years that followed, Hall never received any specialized help. But now, because of legislation signed by President Bush in 2003, former prisoners-of-war like Hall are entitled to increased veterans benefits, which might include support groups, expanded dental care, exemption from doctor visit co-payments and, in some cases, monetary compensation.
Donald Priem, Volusia County Veterans Services Director, said legislation granting the benefits was passed by Congress to help American prisoners-of-war during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Veterans Administration is trying to find ex-POWs and surviving family members from earlier wars to determine if they might also qualify for the new benefits. Hall of Port Orange, and dozens of other area former prisoners-of-war shared their stories recently during a support group meeting at the local Veteran's Clinic. Hall said that for years after the war, he never talked about his experience.
"There was shame that you were captured," said Hall, 79, director of the Southeast Region of American Ex-Prisoners of War. "There were comments made over the years -- 'You are one of those guys who had a vacation' -- so there was reluctance to talk about it to anyone." Hall said participating in the support group has helped him overcome the shame and other repressed feelings from his POW experience.
Leonard Dowling, 78, of DeLand, who served in the Air Force, was captured and taken to an interrogation center in Frankfort, Germany, then shipped off to a prison camp. Although he lost 40 pounds in eight months, he called the prison camp "bearable." And when he got home from the war, he never talked about those months, because "people didn't believe me and just thought I was a blowhard." Roy Burmeister, 79, of Holly Hill, said he was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and crowded with hundreds of other infantrymen into boxcars with little food or warmth. The conditions were not as humane as those America provided for its prisoners-of-war.
"Germans and Italians who were our prisoners could go to the USO and were treated royally, and everyone thought we had the same," Burmeister said. "People also thought that we were quitters." An estimated 142,000 Americans were captured during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the first Gulf War and Iraq. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports 35,000 living Americans are former prisoners-of-war. About 11,000 are receiving benefits, Priem said.
Sean Turner, a medical administrative services spokesman for the Veteran's Health System in St. Petersburg, said the level of benefits for each former prisoner-of-war is decided individually. Some ex-POWs might be due disability compensation, said Margaret Macklin, spokeswoman for the Veterans Benefits Administration in St. Petersburg. Representatives are available to answer questions at (800) 827-1000, she said. (BStaff Writer, audrey.parente@news-jrnl.com, Last update: 28 June 2004)
Youths donate time to help veterans, workers
ST. PETERSBURG - As she spends her summer days among ailing veterans at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center, Janita Truitt has learned something about herself. "I've realized that I've had it pretty good so far," she said. "And I see it as having your own set of heroes right here at the hospital."
The 15-year-old Seminole High School sophomore volunteers in the hospital's dental clinic and helps the hospital's volunteer coordinator make calls and mail letters. Truitt is one of more than 150 Tampa Bay-area students spending summer break helping veterans through the Bay Pines Summer Student Volunteer program.
The youth volunteers met their sponsors from 68 local service organizations Friday. Roger Baehlow of Madeira Beach represents an American Legion Honor Society, one of the program's sponsors. "One thing that's special about this volunteer program is the grandparent and grandchild interaction between the kids and veterans," said Baehlow, who is retired and works as a volunteer at the center's day care facility. "Working in a hospital environment is a unique experience for young people."
Other service organizations involved with the program include the Salvation Army, Elks National Foundation and Navy Seabee Veterans. The sponsors pay $25 per student for uniforms and minor expenses. While the volunteers started June 3, it was Truitt's second year participating in the program.
"It's nice to hear about the veterans' past, including war stories and just experiences they've had," said Truitt, who volunteered in the center's nursing home last summer. Students involved in the program also have the opportunity to receive scholarships and savings bonds. One volunteer will receive the Outstanding Student Volunteer of the Year award, which includes a $1,500 U.S. Savings Bond and a nomination for the James H. Parke Memorial Youth Scholarship Award. This provides a $10,000 college scholarship and a trip to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the VA's Voluntary Service National Convention.
"Hospitals are a good place to work, but often not a good place to live. Days often run together for the patients," said John Pickens, public affairs officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs. "But the volunteers bring in enthusiasm and a positive attitude that rubs off on everyone." By MAURA HALPERN, St. Petersburg Times, Published June 26, 2004
Some Survivors of Veterans Face Deadline for Restored Benefit
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wants to ensure that surviving spouses of deceased veterans are aware of an approaching deadline that may affect entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits.
Last year, President Bush signed Public Law 108-183, the "Veterans Benefits Act of 2003," which restores entitlement to DIC and related home loan and education benefits for surviving spouses who remarry on or after their 57th birthdays.
VA officials are concerned that surviving spouses may not be aware of this change in law, or may overlook this benefit if their subsequent marriages have not ended. Generally, VA pays DIC to the surviving spouses of military servicemembers who die while on active duty, and to surviving spouses of veterans whose death resulted from service-related causes.
The basic monthly rate is $967 and is increased if the surviving spouse has dependents, is housebound, or meets criteria common to those who need a home aide. There are additional payments for dependent children. Parents who were dependent upon the servicemember's income also may qualify for DIC.
Under previous law, surviving spouses who remarried were not eligible for DIC unless their marriages ended. At that time they could apply for reinstatement of benefits. Under the new law, surviving spouses who remarried after age 57 and before Dec. 16, 2003, have a limited time to apply for restoration of DIC.
They have one year from the date the new law was enacted (Dec. 16, 2003) to apply for restoration of benefits. If VA receives the application later than Dec. 15, 2004, restoration of DIC must be denied. The one-year application period does not apply to other surviving spouses whose remarriage on or after attaining age 57 followed enactment of the law.
For more information on restoration of DIC, call VA’s toll free number at 1-800-827-1000 or visit the nearest VA regional office. Office locations can be found in the blue pages of local telephone directories. People who are hearing impaired should call VA at 1-800-829-4833 by use of a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD). More information on benefits and services is available at VA’s Internet Web site www.va.gov. VA Press Release, June 24, 2004
HELP US BUILD THE MEMORIAL!
Learn more about Florida's World War II Memorial.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
The
World War II Memorial honors the 16
million who served in the armed forces of the U.S. during World War II, the more than 400,000 who
died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the
defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit,
sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. As our Announcement Stone
proclaims, the memorial honors those “Americans who took up the struggle during
the Second World War and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our
forefathers entrusted to us: A nation conceived in liberty and justice.” It
will inspire future generations of Americans, deepening their appreciation of
what the World War II generation accomplished in preserving democracy and
saving the world from tyranny. Above all, the memorial stands as an important
symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength
and awesome power that can flow when a free people are at once united and
bonded together in a common and just cause.
National World War II Registry - The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) recently introduced the WWII Registry online to document names of those who participated in history’s largest and most devastating war. The Registry is accessible on the web site of the National World War II Memorial Click Here <http://www.WWIImemorial.com>. Any American that served in the armed forces or contributed to the war effort on the home front, whether in factories, shipyards or farms and neighborhoods, is eligible. There is no charge to place a name in the Registry. You can also register via their toll-free number, 1-800-639-4WW2. The Registry already contains more than one million records, most submitted by the public. The database also includes National Archives and Records Administration lists of those killed in service during the war, and names of those buried in ABMC overseas cemeteries or listed on its Tablets of the Missing. The memorial official dedication ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 29, 2004.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has created a new Internet Web site with information about a variety of military-related health issues. "IOM's new Website is one more tool available to veterans, health care practitioners and others interested in the well-being of our veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. The Web site, at http://veterans.iom.edu, has separate sections for health care issues affecting the last four major military conflicts - “ World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. At each section, visitors can read electronic versions of IOM-produced reports or purchase publications. Other sections list IOM's completed reports and reports in progress, while another area contains studies about chemical and biological agents suspected of causing health problems for military members. There is also a section with reports and information about deployment health. Part of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine is a nonprofit organization that provides advice on matters of biomedical science.
Troops to Teachers Program (TTT) - Many veterans and military personnel transitioning from military service have the opportunity to participate in the Troops to Teachers sponsored now by the Department of Defense and the Department of Education. TTT is designed to assist eligible personnel to transition to a new career as public school teachers in “high need” schools. A network of State TTT Offices has been established to provide prospective participants with counseling and assistance regarding certification requirements, routes to state certification, and employment leads. Pending availability of funds, financial assistance may be provided to eligible individuals as stipends up to $5000 to help pay for certification costs or an bonuses of $10,000 to teach in schools serving a high percentage of students from low income families. Those eligible for the TTT include the general categories of military personnel and veterans who: Are Reserve Component personnel currently serving and who have 10+ years of total service?; Were separated from active duty not earlier that October 1, 1990 with 6+ years of honorable service; and, Have retired or will soon retire, from Active or Reserve Forces. Check out TTT eligibility and program information managed by Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES) on the Internet Click Here.
Veterans Information from the White House, click here.
Opportunity for veterans -- For a limited time, veterans have an opportunity to participate in FastTrac entrepreneurial courses at significant discounts. Click here for more information.
Take a virtual tour of a State Veterans' Nursing Home. The tour includes ten 360 degree fully interactive pictures. No additional software is required to view these images, simply click on the desired picture and the tour begins.
The memory of America's World War II generation will be preserved within the physical memorial and through the World War II Registry of Remembrances, an individual listing of Americans who contributed to the war effort. Any U.S. citizen who helped win the war, whether a veteran or someone on the home front, is eligible for the Registry. Names in the Registry will be forever linked to the memorial's bronze and granite representations of their sacrifice and achievement. The Registry combines four distinct databases that can be searched for names of those whose service and sacrifice helped win the Second World War. The Registry includes the names of Americans who are: Buried in American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) overseas military cemeteries; Memorialized on ABMC Tablets of the Missing; Listed on official War and Navy Department Killed in Service rosters now held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); and, Honored by public enrollment in the Registry of Remembrances.
For useful information on concurrent receipt, we suggest the following website: http://www.crlegislation.com/.
Your purchase of the "Florida Salutes Veterans" or one of the recently approved Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard Military Service license plates helps people who need it most, when they need it most. The entire $15 surcharge goes into a Trust Fund for the Operation and Maintenance of critically needed Veterans' Homes in Florida.
Click here for information about the Florida Veterans Mobile Service Center.
Click here for a copy of Florida Veterans’ Benefits Guide.
The President's Budget and Florida - Meeting the Goals of our Time
VA NEWS YOU CAN USE
Tahoma National Cemetery to Expand - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi announced today the award of a $6.3 million contract for expansion of the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash. (6/23/04)
Veterans Golden Age Games Set for the San Joaquin Valley - From the East Coast to the West, more than 500 "golden age" veterans will gather in Fresno, Calif., in July for the nation's largest sporting event for senior military veterans. (6/22/04)
VA Secretary Hails "Six Decades of Opportunity" for GI Bill - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi is marking the 60th anniversary of the "GI Bill of Rights" on June 22, calling it "one of the greatest pieces of legislation in American history." (6/18/04)
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has an active role in Transition Assistance Program and Disabled Transition Assistance Program (TAP/DTAP) throughout the United States and around the world. Since the implementation of TAP/DTAP through the original legislation (P.L. 101-237) and the legislation which expanded TAP/DTAP (P.L. 101-510) VA has provided benefit information to separating service members and their families.
Facts About the Department of Veterans Affairs -- 2003 -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established on March 15, 1989, succeeding the Veterans Administration. It is responsible for providing federal benefits to veterans and their dependents. Headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA is the second largest of the 15 Cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs for health care, financial assistance and burial benefits. (Word Version)
Department of Veterans Affairs' FY 2004 Budget Submission - Summary Volume The summary volume includes an overview of the Department’s congressional budget submission, budget highlights by program, and funding resources tables. The Summary Volume focuses primarily on the budget year 2004 - the upcoming fiscal year for which Congress needs to make appropriations. It also includes actual data on 2002 and current estimates for 2003. There are sections in the volume containing historical tables going back to 1995 and expenditures by state.
VA Benefits for Family Members of Military Personnel Involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom (March 2003) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a variety of programs to assist survivors of military personnel who die on active duty. (word version)
VA Health Care and the Medical Benefits Package -- July 2002 -- One of the most visible of all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits is health care. VA has about 1,300 care facilities, including 163 hospitals, 850 ambulatory care and community-based outpatient clinics, 206 counseling centers, 137 nursing homes and 43 domiciliary facilities. (word version)
Ask Benefits Questions Via E-MAIL: For specific Compensation and Pension benefits questions and local regional office issues, the contact list is by state and geographical area of jurisdiction.
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents (2003 Edition) - The 2003 edition of this booklet lists the variety of federal benefits available to veterans and their dependents. Selecting the link above will download the booklet as a PDF file.
La versión en Español de el folleto "Beneficios Federales para los Veteranos y sus Dependientes", el cual explica la variedad de beneficios disponibles para los veteranos y sus dependientes, se encuentra disponible en versión PDF al presionar aquí.
VA - 13 Years as a Cabinet Department - Website contains informational material regarding VA's history as a Cabinet Department
Facts about the Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Calendar of Events for July
NEWS STORIES OF INTEREST
Organizations
that help homeless veterans get federal grants
STATE LEGISLATION OF INTEREST TO VETERANS
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